Kochi, Mar 30 (PTI) Media is duty bound to ensure factually wrong information is not provided to the public, the Kerala High Court said on Wednesday with reference to a newspaper article which incorrectly stated that as part of a ritual at Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple at Thripunithura, devotees are made to wash the feet of 12 brahmins as atonement for sins.

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A bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and P G Ajithkumar noted that according to the Cochin Devaswom Board (CDB), which manages the temple, it is the Thantri who washes the feet of 12 priests of Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple in connection with 'Panthrandu Namaskaram' ritual.

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The Board said that no devotees are made to wash the feet of 12 brahmins for atonement for sins, as stated in the news report.

The submissions by the Board came in response to a plea initiated by the court on its own, based on the news report, to ascertain whether devotees were being made to wash the feet of brahmins.

Based on the stand taken by the Board, the court decided to dispose off the matter.

While disposing off the petition, the bench said that "it is the duty and responsibility of the media, be it electronic or print, to ensure that they are not providing the public with information that is factually wrong based on unverified information."

The Board during the hearing of the matter had also told the court that in a meeting convened on February 11 it was decided to rename the ritual as 'Samaradhana.'

On this aspect, the court said that the 'Panthrandu Namskaram' ritual was being performed at the temple from time immemorial and it was the duty of the Board to ensure that the regular traditional rites, according to the prevalent practice there, are performed promptly.

"Therefore, no interference with the religious rite, namely, 'Panthrandu Namaskaram' performed in Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, by the Thanthri is legally permissible either by the Cochin Devaswom Board or by the state," bench said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)